I don’t have any particularly new historic information to impart about the Queens Boulevard Flushing Line Viaduct in Sunnyside, except that I thought this photo I got in late 2020 was so cool I wanted to share it more widely. I’ve said most of what I had to say about the Flushing Line when it celebrated its centennial in 2017; four years have passed quickly.
From its beginnings in June 1915 running one stop from Grand Central to Vernon/Jackson what has become known since then as the Flushing Line has been extended eight times: east to Hunters Point Avenue and Court Square (11/5/1916); Queensboro Plaza to 103rd Street (4/21/1917); 111th Street (10/13/1925); Willets Point Boulevard (5/7/1927); Main Street (1/2/1928) and west to 5th Avenue (3/22/1926); Times Square (3/14/1927) and Hudson Yards (9/13/2015). (A tiled sign at the Hunters Point Avenue station says the line goes “to Astoria and Corona,” referring to the split at Queensboro Plaza that sends the BMT to Ditmars and the IRT to 103rd/Corona Plaza.)
This is still one of the lengthiest concrete-clad elevated trains in NYC, between Van Dam and 48th Streets atop Queens Boulevard, though the one in the Rockaways bests it by a couple of miles. Both the BMT and the IRT clad stations they deemed especially important in concrete, and I’ve never put them all on one page: I smell a page coming on, though I may have to wait till I feel completely comfortable subwaying and elling all over town again.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop, and as always, “comment…as you see fit.”
3/4/21
6 comments
That pic looks like it’s from the Lowery station. I think it’s cursed. It’s been the scene of a few shall we say ” incidents” the last decade or so. I won’t go into detail.
Excellent photo. You should send it to Trains magazine. They have an annual photo contest, I think, and they accept subways and light rail as well as “normal” trains. This one would win or, at least, place.
Man, if I was going to put out an album called “Queens Boulevard” this is the shot I’d want for the cover. Thanks, Kevin!
It’s too bad that those new buildings that what end up LIC are now making it difficult to get a shot of the Manhattan skyline.
I remember this view when leaving LaGuardia CC sometimes. There it is in the background! Awesome shot!
A small section of the old Polo Grounds shuttle had a similar looking concrete viaduct for about a block as it crossed west from the Jerome Ave. line